Photo: Bekathwia, Flickr

If you're trying to lose a few pounds, trading your regular soda for the diet version could be doing more harm than good. True, swapping a can of Coke Zero for the regular kind slices 139 calories from your daily intake, but research from the University of Liverpool in England suggests that your body processes artificial, calorie-free sweeteners the same way it does regular sugar.

Just as your taste buds can't differentiate between regular and artificial sweeteners (aside that chemically aftertaste), the receptors in your intestines aren't able to tell the difference either. Once the intestines sense sweetness, they seek out glucose to absorb. So even though that Equal is calorie-free -- your body may still take calories from somewhere else if these receptors are activated.

"Artificial sweeteners can also activate the glucose sensor and increase the capacity of the intestine to absorb more sugar," Soraya Shirazi-Beechey, lead author of the study and a professor of Molecular Physiology and Biochemistry at Liverpool University, tells the Daily Mail. "If someone wants to lose weight, I don't think artificial sweeteners are going to help," she says. "My recommendation is to eat natural foods, but to eat less of them."

It's unclear from Shirazi-Beechey's research whether the amount of glucose absorbed after sensing an artificial sweetener would equal the calorie-equivalent of a regular soda.

When I invented this recipe years ago, I told my husband what I was making and a big fat question mark suddenly appeared over his head. He looked at me like I was a bit insane, but didn't say those words. I think he was afraid to hurt my feelings.

But vindication came as he took his first bite. Sweet Crusted Chicken Nuggets are to die for. As my husband did that day, every single guest in my house has cleaned their entire plate when I make them. I imagine yours will be received in a similar way.

My secret formula is available in the online recipe book at my site Fitzness.com. They're very easy to make and don't take a lot of time either.

Serve them with grilled veggies, a sweet potato or on top of a salad to round things out in a healthy way. Enjoy!

Sugar bingeing can lead to sugar addiction, a new study finds

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If you're looking to lose pounds, chances are the first thing you'll cut out is dessert. After all, eating a bunch of sugar after the biggest meal of the day is probably not the best diet choice, right? But if dessert is your favourite meal of the day, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to eat your sweets and lose weight too. FitSugar recently compiled a list of their favourite light desserts -- plus here are some of mine:

• Fruit and Light Cool Whip. Three teaspoons of Light Cool Whip has only 35 calories. Pair that with a handful of fresh, healthy, antioxidant-rich berries and you've got a perfect sweet treat.
• Jello or fat-free pudding. Both are very low-cal and very sweet. Opt for the sugar-free variety and you're consuming virtually no calories.
• Warm milk with a touch of honey. This one not only satisfies a sweet tooth, it helps you get to sleep too.

What's your favourite healthy sweet treat?

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On the run? Grab and energy bar -- they're a good source of the nutrients you need when you're in a hurry. But sometimes it's hard to find one you like, so one company has come up with a novel approach to finding the right energy bar.

Element Bars offers you the ability to build your own energy bar. You start by choosing the core of the bar -- your choices are chewy, oaty, crispy and datey. Then you select your fruit--blueberries, cherries, apricots, etc.--followed by the kind of nuts you want and any sweet stuff you care to add (including chocolate chips ... mmm.) Finally, you can select add-ons like protein, fibre and Omega-3s. Neat, huh?

The best part? They have a nutrition chart on the side that let's you know the running calorie count of your custom bar so if you're watching carbs, calories or fat, you can make sure you stay within an acceptable range.

Thanks for the tip, Gadling!

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There is more in the world than sugary treats. If you're one of those folks who has no interest in indulging in the traditional not-so-good-for-you birthday celebration ... 1-800-FLOWERS has come up with an adorable alternative. They've made beautiful cakes and cocktails out of flowers! The arrangements are beautiful, fun and absolutely guilt free!

Now, I'm not a girl who brings cake into my home or even orders it at a restaurant. I am, however, someone who enjoys a piece on my birthday. If true cake is a special component of your big day, than by all means ... have some! But if it's not, I think these cakes made of flowers make a wonderful celebratory substitute.

The other thing that struck me is that they'd make an incredibly thoughtful gift as well. We've all had the standard bouquet brought to our door, but these little masterpieces are the kind of flowers that would make me squeal! As a fitness trainer, I hold myself to a very high standard. I want to be a role model and I'd never want to contribute in an unhealthy way to a friend. I personally could never just grab a basket of chocolate and give it to someone I love. How contrary that would be!

CFPT(click thumbnails to view gallery)

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Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly, our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

Mmmmmm. Just the mention of Chef Jens Dahlmanns's name puts my mind in ecstasy. His is the name of the man who created what I'd choose as my 'last meal.' He's the premier Chef of Disney's signature restaurant The California Grill, who also oversees a staff of award-winning chefs atop Disney's Contemporary Resort. Chef Jens was classically trained in European kitchens and worked for Le Cirque 2000 in New York City and Cafe 'L Europe in Palm Beach, Florida, before joining Disney in April 2004.

We first spoke on the phone a week before I was to dine at his spectacular grill. From a fitness trainer standpoint, he gave all of the 'right answers.' Not that he was contrived, but his stance on cooking is what I would wish to hear. If you've read my features before, you'll know that I preach the importance of lean fresh foods. Read on to see how dead-on Chef Jens is to that style of eating. From a regular gal's point of view, it was just really exciting and fun to hear Chef Jens talk about food. He described white asparagus the same way most men would describe a beautiful woman. I could imagine what each item tasted like as he described them.

My experience at The California Grill was almost indescribable. Chef Jens and his staff were pampering to say the least. He greeted me with a sample of the white asparagus he gushed about, and I knew I was in for something special. The combinations of flavors and textures were to die for! I relished every bite and cleaned each and every plate that landed in front of me (highly unusual for me). The man knows how to make fresh food taste divine. The advice he gave in this interview is exactly what I, as your online Fitzness Trainer, want you to follow. Chef Jens just knows far better than I, how to make all of the healthy stuff taste heavenly.

Fitz: How much does "healthy" influence the foods you create for your menus?

Chef Jens: Healthy actually has a lot to do with our menu. First of all, Disney has set an initiative for enhancing our menus in a healthy way, so across all of the Disney parks and restaurants you'll find better choices. On my part, I'm always driven by what's fresh in the market. We create meals based on the season. At the California Grill, our menu changes according to what foods are in season. Fresh food equals leaner and "cleaner" food. I never use processed ingredients.

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I just made one of my favorite recipes last night for a group of friends ... and the crowd went wild. If you're looking for nutritious and delicious side dishes with a twist, check out page eight of my online recipe book at Fitzness.com. My Sweet Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are fairly easy to make and totally yummy. If you use large sweet potatoes, they suffice as a nice meal for vegetarians as well. Enjoy, my sweeties!

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